Ōtara preschool ruined
Police are asking for the public’s help for information into a heartless act which has ruined an Ōtara preschool.
Sometime between 9am on 7 December and 6pm on 8 December, Ōtara Community Preschool was broken into and windows and property smashed and items stolen.
Counties Manukau East Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Rakana Cook, says nine internal windows were smashed, along with a microwave and oven and computers being knocked to the ground.
“This type of behaviour is quite frankly disgusting.
“This is an awful situation, a preschool has been left footing the bill for this crime and children are now without their belongings and educational resources.”
Inspector Cook says the offenders acted in a mindless way, destroying property seemingly for the sake of it.
“We are working hard to identify and locate those responsible for this senseless crime.
“We are now asking for the public’s assistance for any information which may help us to hold this person, or people, to account.
“A number of people have come forward with information and spoken to Police since this incident, and we ask anyone who has not yet spoken to us to get in touch.”
Information can be provided by updating Police online now or by calling 105.
Please reference the file number 241208/6023.
Alternatively, you can report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Would you like a free copy of our February 2025 issue?
Kia ora neighbours. We give away free copies to readers whose recipes are used in our magazine. We're still on the hunt for tomato recipes, so send your family's favourite way to use up your homegrown harvest, to: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. If we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of the mag